Syedna Abdul Qadir Jilani, known as Muhyiuddin (Reviver of the Faith) and Piran-e-Pir (Saint of Saints), is a highly respected, pious saint of Allah and the chief of all saints. He is the founder of the Qadriyya spiritual order. His fame is worldwide, and he is known for his spiritual teachings (Sufism), which he used to revive the spirit of Islam. Let's read his complete life story.
Titles of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
People gave Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani many great titles because of his amazing service to Islam, his vast knowledge, and his high spiritual rank. His real name was Abdul Qadir, and his nickname (Kunya) was Abu Muhammad.
Out of love and respect for his spiritual greatness, believers called him by several significant titles:
- Muhyiuddin: "Reviver of the Faith"
- Mahboob-e-Subhani: "The Beloved Servant of God"
- Ghaus al-Azam: "The Greatest Helper"
- Ghaus al-Thaqalayn: "The Helper of Humans and Jinns"
These titles mark his spiritual greatness and his deep closeness to God, which still inspire people today.
The Birth of Syed Abdul Qadir Jilani
Hazrat Syedna Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) was born on the 1st of Ramadan, 470 AH (about 1077 or 1078 CE). He was born in the village of Naif or Bushtair, in the province of Gilan, Iran. He is called "Jilani" because of Gilan.
He was born into a very pure and pious family. His father was Hazrat Syed Abu Saleh Musa (RA), and his mother was Hazrat Bibi Fatima (RA). Both were noble Syeds (descendants of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ), linked to both Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain. Signs of his spiritual status were clear from the moment he was born.
The Lineage of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
Hazrat Syedna Abdul Qadir Jilani's parents were both noble Syeds. His father's family line goes back to Imam Hasan (AS), while his mother's line goes back to Imam Hussain (AS). Because of this, he is called a "Hasani and Hussaini Syed," connecting him directly to the blessed family of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) through both of his beloved grandsons. This high lineage is a key source of his spiritual greatness.
His lineage includes:
Syed Abdul Qadir Jilani Baghdadi
Son of: Syed Abu Saleh Musa Jangidost
Son of: Syed Abdullah Al-Jili
Son of: Syed Yahya Az-Zahid
Son of: Syed Muhammad Mawrith Rumi
Son of: Syed Dawood
Son of: Syed Musa Al-Thani
Son of: Syed Abdullah Al-Thani
Son of: Syed Musa Al-Jaun
Son of: Syed Abdullah Al-Mahd
Son of: Syed Hasan Muthanna
Son of: Amir al-Mu'minin Imam Hasan Mujtaba (AS)
Son of: Amir al-Mu'minin Hazrat Syedna Ali Al-Murtaza (RA)
Early Life
It is said that Syedna Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) was blessed with spiritual light from birth. One famous story is that as a baby, he would not drink milk during the daytime in Ramadan—people called him a born saint because of this miracle.
After his father passed away early, his mother and grandfather raised him with great love and spiritual training. He recalled hearing a hidden voice say, "O blessed one! Come to Me." When people asked when he knew he was a saint, he said, "I knew it at the age of ten. When I went to school, a voice would come from the unseen—'Make room for the Saint of Allah'—and all the children in the school would hear it."
The Start of Education
Around the age of five, his mother enrolled him in a local school in Gilan. He studied there until he was ten, showing great intelligence and a love for learning.
At the age of eighteen, he travelled from his hometown to Baghdad for higher education. He joined the Madrasa Nizamiya, which was the greatest center of knowledge in the Islamic world. He studied under many famous scholars. In just eight years, he mastered all religious and spiritual sciences, including:
- Qira'at (Quranic Recitation)
- Tafsir (Exegesis)
- Hadith (Prophetic Sayings)
- Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence)
He completed his studies in 496 AH and dedicated his entire life to teaching these sciences.
The Attainment of Inner Knowledge
Even after gaining vast outward knowledge, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) still felt an inner thirst. After receiving an inner sign from God, he left the material world and went into the wilderness (jungles) to search for Inner Knowledge (Ilm-e-Batin)—the knowledge of Sufism.
He spent forty years in this spiritual struggle. He gained knowledge from many spiritual masters and even from the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) himself. It is said he:
- Prayed the Fajr prayer with the Wudu (ablution) of Isha for forty years.
- Recited the whole Quran in one night for several years.
Because of his sincerity and spiritual effort, he reached the high rank of "Sultan al-Awliya" (King of the Saints).
Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani's Revival of the Faith
After forty years of worship and spiritual perfection in the jungle, his inner light was complete, and he was indifferent to the world. He had no desire to return to people.
One day, while walking in the jungle, he saw a very weak, frail person lying on the ground. The person said:
"O Abdul Qadir! I am the religion of your Prophet (ﷺ). Support me and make me strong."
Deeply moved, he gently helped the person stand up. As soon as the person stood, a light-filled voice rang out from the heavens: "Muhyiuddin! Muhyiuddin! Muhyiuddin!" (meaning "The Reviver of the Faith!").
This was God's sign that it was time to return to the world and revive the Islamic faith. He then went to Baghdad and began to spread the light of spirituality.
The Start of Sufism in Iraq
When Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) arrived in Iraq, he often sat silently. Since he was Persian (Ajami) and the local people were Arabs, he felt nervous about speaking in Arabic.
One day, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) appeared to him and asked why he didn't preach. When the Sheikh explained his difficulty with the Arabic language, the Prophet (ﷺ) kindly put his blessed tongue into the Sheikh's mouth nine times. After this, Hazrat Ali al-Murtaza (RA) came and put his tongue into the Sheikh's mouth eight times.
This divine favor gave the Sheikh incredible eloquence, power, and spiritual light in his speech. When he began to preach, thousands of people gathered. His words were so powerful that many listeners fell into deep spiritual states, and some even passed away at that moment.
This was the beginning of the spread of the Qadriyya Spiritual Order—a great channel through which millions found the knowledge and love of God and His Prophet (ﷺ).
The Sayings of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) gave Heart Remembrance (Dhikr-e-Qalbi) to thousands of people, guiding many who were lost and filling their hearts with Divine Light.
One of his most famous sayings is:
"My follower will not go to Hell."
He then clarified this: "My follower is the one who does Dhikr (Remembrance), and I only count him as a Dhakir whose heart remembers God. Verbal Dhikr is common, but the real Dhikr is from the heart."
He also advised:
"O Human! You cannot put God's name in your heart, even with a lifetime of worship, unless a perfect saint connects your heart to 'Allah Allah.' This gift is only achieved by keeping the company of the People of the Heart."
"Keep the company of the People of the Heart, so that you too may become a man of the heart."
The Result of Criticizing Ghaus Azam Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
Once, while Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) was performing Wudu (ablution), a kite flew overhead and dropped waste on his clothes. He looked up, and instantly, the kite's neck was cut, and it fell dead.
He began to weep with deep sadness. When his followers asked why he was grieving over a common bird, he replied:
"I am not crying for the bird, but I am grieving for the people who will object and criticize me. The necks of their faith will be cut off, just as the neck of this kite was cut."
The Miracles of Syedna Ghaus Azam Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) was a true helper of the poor and helpless. He famously said:
"Whoever remembers me in a time of trouble, I will help him by the command of Allah."
Because of his compassion and spiritual power, he was given the titles Ghaus al-Azam (The Greatest Helper) and Dastgir (The Helper). Countless miracles (Karamaat) were shown through him, which lit up the hearts of believers.
The Desire to Meet Imam Mahdi (AS)
When Ghaus Azam read the Prophetic sayings about the glory of Imam Mahdi (AS), he developed a deep desire to meet him. After searching for Imam Mahdi's soul in the spiritual realms through meditation , He failed to find him, He was surprised By this secret of God then he gave a famous instruction to his grandson:
"My son (grandson)! Do not leave this world until you deliver my greetings to Imam Mahdi (AS)."
That grandson then moved to the mountains near Bara Koh, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, dedicating himself to worship and waiting for Imam Mahdi's appearance.
The grandson eventually met Sarkar Imam Mahdi Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi when he appeared in Lal Bagh, Sehwan Sharif, and delivered his grandfather's greetings. (This event was shared by Sarkar Imam Mahdi Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi’s special representative, Younus AlGohar, in his speeches.)
Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani: Sultan al-Faqr and Spirituality
Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) holds the high spiritual title of Sultan al-Faqr (The King of Spiritual Kingship). He is the fourth Sultan al-Faqr after the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), Bibi Fatima al-Zahra (RA), and Hasan Basri (RA).
A special divine light known as the Nurani Child (Tifl-e-Noori) was placed within his inner self. This Tifl-e-Noori is a spiritual body which was created When Allah Almighty shook his body after seeing his beauty for the first time, and a light came out from his body ,
- There are seven such Tifl-e-Nooris given to the seven spiritual Kings (Sultans) chosen by God.
- Ghaus Azam's Tifl-e-Noori is considered the most perfect after the Prophet Muhammad's (ﷺ).
Since his spiritual light is directly connected to the Prophet's (ﷺ), anyone who seeks spiritual closeness to the Prophet (ﷺ) and to Allah, must pass through this great spiritual channel (wasila).
The Demise of Ghaus Azam Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
This great saint passed away on the 11th of Rabi al-Thani, 561 AH, at the age of 91, in Baghdad Sharif. His shrine remains a center of respect and spiritual blessing for believers worldwide. Centuries later, his teachings continue to be a light guiding humanity toward truth and closeness to God.
The Foundation of the Qadriyya Order
The Qadriyya Spiritual Order was founded by Ghaus Azam Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA). After his passing, his son, Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Razzaq (RA), took the leadership and helped spread the order further around the world.
When is AzaGhausm Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani's Urs Celebrated?
His blessed shrine is in Baghdad Sharif, Iraq. Devotees from all over the world celebrate his Urs Mubarak (Annual Anniversary) with great love and respect every year on the 11th of Rabi al-Thani. Visitors come to offer salutations and gain spiritual benefit.
The Famous Writings of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) left behind countless treasures of knowledge. His books show the deep meaning of the Quran and Sunnah, spiritual insights, and Islamic ethics. His most famous writings include:
- Ghunyat ut-Talibin
- Futuh al-Ghayb
- Al-Fath ar-Rabbani
- Jalaa al-Khatir
These books are still taught by scholars and Sufis worldwide to strengthen faith and purify the heart.
The Children of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) had four wives. His son, Sheikh Abdul Razzaq (RA), stated that he had 49 children in total: 20 sons and the rest daughters.
Many of his sons became famous scholars and spiritual guides, continuing the work of spreading the Qadriyya Order.
Prominent Sons:
- Sheikh Abdul Wahab
- Sheikh Abdul Razzaq
- Sheikh Abdul Aziz
- Sheikh Abdullah
- Sheikh Abdul Jabbar
- Sheikh Muhammad Isa
- Sheikh Yahya
- Sheikh Musa
- Sheikh Ibrahim
- Sheikh Muhammad
Conclusion and Lesson
Saints (Auliya) are special souls who, from the beginning of time, chose the sight and beauty of God over the pleasures of the world and Paradise. This eternal love pushes them to seek God's beauty again when they come to this world. They follow the path shown by Prophets and perfect spiritual guides, endure every hardship, and eventually connect with their Lord.
The world calls these souls Ghaus Azam,Data, Khwaja, or Qalandar. They are those who gave up all worldly enjoyment for the supreme joy of seeing God's Light.
If you also have this sincere longing to find and love God, you are invited to explore the teachings of Sarkar Imam Mahdi Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi. His images are visible on the Moon, the Hajar al-Aswad (Black Stone), the Sun, and in space. Millions of people are receiving the gift of Heart Remembrance (Dhikr-e-Qalbi) through him and connecting with Allah. You can see and hear his teachings on his YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/alratv